This invention relates to an apparatus for opening a scissor-type car pocket opener which is operated by a pair of gears.
Certain types of railway hopper cars are equipped with discharge means (e.g., chute) or opening located at the lower end of the car. The discharge means is opened or closed by a slide gate which is located underneath the hopper car and is movable transversely of the discharge means. When the slide gate is opened, material from the hopper is easily unloaded from the railway car by the force of gravity. One common device used to open the slide gate is a scissor-type car pocket opener. The scissor-type opener has a pair of gear racks which are mounted underneath the gate and are activated by pinions, thus causing the gate to move in a straight direction. Conventionally, the gears are activated by inserting iron bars into openings on each side of the gears and pushing the bar to turn the gears so that the slide gate will open. This method of opening the scissor-type car pocket opener requires at least two operators and presents a dangerous threat of injury to the operators. This invention provides an apparatus to activate the scissor-type opener which can be operated by one man and which reduces the threat of injury to the operator.